Independent anti-gambling Senator Nick Xenophon joins the Greens and Opposition, saying that “I commend their intentions but I think the implementation of this could almost be counter-productive and I think the money could be better spent.”
Australia’s Broadband Minister Stephen Conroy’s plan to filter the Internet has effectively been scuttled after a decision by Independent anti-gambling Senator Nick Xenophon’s to join the Greens and Opposition in efforts to block any such legislation.
Internet filtering began as a voluntary effort to “protect children,” but quickly spiraled into an all out attempt by the Australian govt, spearheaded by , to make it mandatory for ISPs to filter the Internet of all “inappropriate content” and “offensive and illegal material.” Conroy expanded the list to block Adult R18+ and X18+ web sites, and this week said it would also block sites depicting drug use, crime, sex, cruelty, violence or ‘revolting and abhorrent phenomena’ that ‘offend against the standards of morality.’ Last month an anti-abortion website was even added to the blacklist.
“The more evidence that’s come out, the more questions there are on this,” said Xenophon.
The heavily criticized plan also threatens to reduce Internet connection speeds by up to 87% and institute a system of censorship with no oversight. More importantly, the filters were easily bypassed.
“I’m very skeptical that the Government is going down the best path on this,” said Xenophon.
“I commend their intentions but I think the implementation of this could almost be counter-productive and I think the money could be better spent.”
Xenophon thinks more resources should be aimed at educating parents and at targeting “pedophiles through cracking open those P2P groups.”
jared@zeropaid.com
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“Xenophon thinks more resources should be aimed at educating parents and at targeting “”pedophiles through cracking open those P2P groups.”"
….
This guy is apparently like Fry from Futurama: Needs to stop talking 1 sentence sooner.
Why he wants to crack down on the pedophilia being traded through files sharing not on filesharing itself. But I guess he should of been more specific so as not to be misunderstood.